Orthopedic device



Feb. 3,1959 J. L. HOGAN ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1956 INVENTOR. JOSEPH L. HOGAN BY MAM way;

A TTORNE Y Feb. 3, 1959 J. HOGAN 2,871,915

ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE Filed July 5, 1956, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 20 26 5 m m m m x I I 41 3/ as I7 16 32 34 v v E 35. v 34 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH L. HoqA/v BY 41 4mm A TTORNEY United States Patent ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE Joseph L. Hogan, San Francisco, Calif assignor of one-half to Joseph B. K. Smith Application July 5, 1956, Serial No. 595,906

8 Claims. (Cl. 155---23) This invention relates to an orthopedic device.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an orthopedic device for exercising the body, arms and legs of a person who, as a result of some illness, suffered atrophy or has lost control of the same.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide an orthopedic device of the type described which forces a person to exercise his body, arms and legs and thereby teaches him the use thereof.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide an orthopedic device of the class described which contains means for helping a person to walk along a certain course,

and for holding said person suspended during said exeruse.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide an orthopedic device of the class described which employs a harness for supporting a person in a vertical position and moves said person along certain course, while said person, being so supported, uses his legs for the purpose of advancing himself and his hands and body to keep himself in proper balance.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the claims hereto annexed.

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best but it is understood that the invention is not limited to such form; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawv ings forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of said device.

Fig. 3 is a partial bottom view, some parts being broken away to disclose the inner mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of one end of the channels.

and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

My orthopedic device comprises a frame 1 having four vertical posts 2, the tops of which are connected by two parallel links 3 and two parallel cross-members 5, said links and cross-members forming an elongated rectangle, the corners of which are supported by said posts 2. The latter are preferably made extensible or telescopic, so that their height may be easily adjusted for the purpose to be hereinafter explained. Fig. 2. shows an extensible type of the post 2 consisting of a pipe 7 into a lower end of which a threaded leg 8 is inserted. The pipe 7 rests on a large nut 9, by means of which the height of the post is easily adjusted. The leg 8 carries a caster wheel 1G with a braking or locking mechanism (not shown) by which the rotation of the caster wheel may be arrested.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the bow and harness;

1 Patented Feb. 3, 1959 The frame 1 supports a pair of channels 15 secured to the cross-members 5. The channels 15 are closed on all sides except a narrow slit 16 on the bottom thereof extending the length of each of said channels. The ends of said channels are closed by a plate 17 secured to the bottom of said channels, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and by a supplemental cover 18 secured to the sides of said channels by a plurality of bolts 13. A narrow half circular opening 19 is formed by the edges of said plate 17 and cover 18, said opening communicating with the slits 16 in the channels 15.

The plates 17 rotatably support a freely rotating sprocket gear 20 and a drivingsprocket 21. The latter is driven by a variable speed electric motor 23, secured on the top of the channels 15 in near proximity to said gear. The motor 23 is operatively connected with a speed reduction gear box 24 attached on the top of the channels 15 near said motor. The box 24 may be of any form, design and shape. It has a driving shaft 27 extending from said box downwardly into the channels 15, and carrying the gear 21 on the lower end thereof, which is secured thereto for rotation therewith.

An endless chain 26 connects the driving gear 21 and the free gear 20. The chain 26 is slowly pulled by the .motor 23 through the speed reduction box 24, shaft 27 and gear, 21, which chain slides in the channels 15 and on the plates 17 and the covers 18 and around the gear 20 back to the gear 21.

The chain 26 carries suspended therefrom a bow 30 in form of an inverted U. The latter is attached to said chain by an internally threaded shaft 31, the upper end of which passes through the slit 16 and is firmly secured to a link in said chain 26. The lower end of said shaft admits a heavy bolt 32 to the lower end of which said bow 30 is secured. By adjusting the position of said bolt in said shaft the bow 30 may be lowered or raised. A-nut 33 on the upper end of the bolt 32 locks the same with the shaft and a nut 34 on said bolt locks the bow 30 to the same.

The bow 30 has its ends fashioned into hand grips 35 and carries a harness 37 secured thereto, consisting of a plurality of vertical and horizontal belts and straps for the purpose of securely and firmly supporting a patient, when placed about and tied on the body of the patient, as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the device is as follows: a patient is brought under said bow 30 and the harness 37 is carefully placed over him, adjusted and tied up. Then the height of the bow 30 is carefully adjusted so that while the weight of the patient is carried by said harness and the bow, the feet of the patient are firmly on the ground, and his hands are on the hand grips 35. The above mentioned adjustment is made first by adjusting the height of the posts 2 and the final adjustment is made by lowering or raising the bow 30, and the harness 37.

Then the motor 23 is started. The latter through the speed reduction gear box 24 slowly rotates the gear 21 which in turn slowly pulls the chain 26. The speed of forward motion of the chain 26 is so selected that a patient is given sufficient time to move his legs intermittently forward in order to keep pace with the steady progress of the body, and to avoid dragging his feet. As the patient gradually masters the art of using his legs, the speed of the chain 26 may be gradually increased and the harness with the bow may be slightly lowered to allow more weight to be carried by the feet. I

Upon reaching the end of the device, the patient is slowly turned around and the walk is resumed forward again. If desired, the timing device 25 may be used to stop the device automatically after certain interval of time has passed.

A safety control button (not shown) may be arranged on one of the hand grips so that the patient may stop the operation of the machine, if he so desires.

The device can easily be moved from place to place by rolling the same on the coaster rollers, and due to its telescoping posts 2 may pass through any door.

I claim:

1. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a harness for suspending a patient in a substantially vertical position with his feet on the ground, a pair of hand rests for the patients hands, a track, a frame supporting said track above the ground, chain means movable in said track and carrying said harness and hand rests, and motor means for moving said chain at a uniform rate of speed. I

2. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a frame including posts, means for adjusting the. height of said frame, a track secured to said frame, a chain slidable in said track, variable speed motor means for moving said chain at a desired uniform speed, a bow secured to said chain and carried thereby, said bow having hand rests on the ends thereof, a harness carried by said bow for supporting a patient in substantially vertical position with his feet on the ground and his hands on the hand rests for urging said patient to move his feet forward on the ground While his body is carried forward by the harness.

3. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a means for suspending a patient in a substantially vertical position with his feet on the ground, said means including a pair of hand rests for the patients hand-s; means for moving said first mentioned means parallel to the ground, said second mentioned means comprising a pair of parallel channels, means for supporting the same above the ground, a pair of sprocket gears rotatably secured to said channels, an endless chain operatively connecting said gears, said chain being slidably supporting in said channels, means for moving said chain at a uniform preselected speed, and means for connecting said first mentioned means with said chain for carrying the same with the latter.

4. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a pair of spaced sprocket tently on the ground while his body is moved forwardly at a uniform speed.

5. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the "body of a patient, comprising a pair of spaced sprocket gears, an endless chain operatively connecting the same, a frame for rotatably supporting said gears and for slidably carrying said chain, a harness for suspending a patient so that his feet are on the ground, said harness being secured to said chain, and means for moving said chain and harness forwardly for urging the patient to move his feet intermittently forwardly.

6. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a frame including a plurality of posts, means for adjusting the height of the same; a track secured to said frame, means slidable in said track, means for moving the last mentioned means along said track, a harness secured to the second mentioned means for movement therewith, said harness being adapted to support a patient in substantially vertical position with his feet on the ground for urging said patient to move his feet forward on the ground while his body is carried by the harness.

7. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a bow, a harness secured to the top of the bow and consisting of a plurality of belts for supporting a patient in substantially vertical position, the ends of said bow extending downwardly on the sides of the body and having hand rests formed on said ends, means for carrying said how parallel to the ground, and means for adjusting said bow vertically for placing the feet of the patient on the ground for urging the patient to move his feet while the bow is moved forwardly.

8. An orthopedic device for exercising the legs and the body of a patient, comprising a how, a harness secured to the top of the bow and consisting of a plurality of belts for supporting a patient in substantially vertical position, the ends of said bow extending downwardly on the sides of the body and having hand rests formed on said ends, means for carrying said how parallel to the ground, means for adjusting said how vertically for placing the feet of the patient on the ground for urging the patient to move his feet while the bow is moved forwardly, and means for moving said bow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

